Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
Groan. OK, I guess we have to talk about my least favorite pop culture conspiracy theory even though it’s the silliest idea to bubble up out of the pop culture swamps for a while. The notion of the “industry plant” has returned in full force following this week release of a 2018 video clip where Kanye is on the phone saying “Cardi B is a plant by the Illuminati.”
I mean, sure, why not? When Kanye says insane things about Hitler, people say, “Oh, he has mental issues and y’all should leave him alone,” but when he speaks to a conspiracy theory that you like, it’s, “Hey, Kanye’s problem is too much truth-telling.” Yeah, OK.
The “industry plant” idea is the Illuminati for pop culture lovers. It says there’s a shadowy cabal of elites who control the pop culture world who can turn whoever they want into a star. When people say “industry plant,” they mean an artist who the music industry (we’ll actually define that later) just decided to turn into a star as opposed to someone who fans actually like. “Industry plants” are artists who seem to blow up very quickly or don’t seem to have much talent — their success is dismissed as ordained by industry gods rather than earned by winning over fans. “Industry plant” is a slur that attacks the authenticity of the artist and explains the core of their success as something that was bestowed and not won. The slur kind of says people don’t actually like this artist and they don’t deserve their success.
Just so we’re clear, there is no such thing as an industry plant. There’s no way for the industry to just pick someone and make them a star. I mean, what they do all the time is pick…
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